You open YouTube to catch up on your favorite creator. Two scrolls later, you’re knee-deep in a rabbit hole of dancing cats, life hacks you’ll never use, and a guy yelling about a conspiracy theory. The culprit? YouTube Shorts. That endless, algorithmic slot machine that feeds on your attention—and your sanity. You’ve tried everything: blocking the domain, using browser extensions, even telling the algorithm you’re “not interested.” Nothing sticks. But a Reddit user stumbled onto the nuclear option: create a new YouTube account without ever turning on Watch History. No history, no recommendations, no Shorts. Just a clean, subscription-only feed. Here’s why this is the only lasting fix—and how to do it.
Why Every Other Method Fails
Let’s be honest: you’ve fought this battle before. You installed Unhook or DF Tube, blocked the youtube.com/shorts path, and felt like a hero. But then YouTube pushed a UI update, and Shorts reappeared like a zombie. Browser extensions break. Ad-blockers get detected. YouTube’s A/B testing ensures that whatever loophole you find today will be patched tomorrow. The platform is designed to keep you scrolling, and Shorts are its most addictive weapon. The only way to win is to stop feeding the algorithm from the start.
The Magic of a “Blank Slate” Account
When you create a new YouTube account and immediately toggle off Watch History (Settings > Privacy > Pause Watch History), the algorithm has zero data to work with. It can’t suggest videos, can’t populate the Home feed with junk, and—crucially—it cannot show Shorts on the mobile or desktop interface. Without your behavioral data, the platform falls back to a minimalist design: your Subscriptions feed, a few generic trending items, and nothing else. The Shorts tab? Gone. The Shorts shelf on the Home page? Vanished. It’s like deactivating the casino and leaving the library.
Step-by-Step: The Permanent Fix
- Create a new Google account (or use an existing one you’ve never used for YouTube).
- Sign in to YouTube with that account.
- Immediately pause Watch History: Settings > Privacy > Pause watch history.
- Do not watch any videos before pausing—even one view can seed recommendations.
- Manage your subscriptions manually. Add only channels you genuinely enjoy.
- Bookmark your Subscriptions feed (
youtube.com/feed/subscriptions) and use it as your homepage.
That’s it. No more Shorts, no “Recommended for you,” no dopamine traps. Your feed becomes a clean list of videos from creators you chose.
My Personal Awakening: From Frustration to Freedom
I’ll never forget the Tuesday afternoon I finally snapped. I had a deadline looming, but I clicked on YouTube for a five‑minute break. Ninety minutes later, I had watched a guy deep‑fry a grilled cheese sandwich in a bathtub of cheese, a tutorial on how to fold fitted sheets (I still can’t), and three different hot‑dog‑eating challenges. My brain felt like static. I had tried every blocker and extension known to humanity. Then I read the Reddit post. Skeptical but desperate, I created a dummy account and paused history before my first search. The result? My Subscriptions page showed exactly 12 videos. No Shorts. No previews of random slop. I watched three of them, actually finished them, and closed the tab. That evening, I read an entire chapter of a book—guilt‑free. It was the most peaceful hour I’d spent online in years.
What You Gain—and What You Lose
This hack demands a trade‑off. You lose algorithmic discovery. No surprise recommendations, no “Up next” based on your taste. You won’t stumble upon that hidden gem unless someone you subscribe to shares it. For many of us, that’s a relief. The cost is a quieter, slower YouTube—one where you proactively choose what to watch instead of being herded by an AI. You also lose auto‑play on your Subscriptions feed, which is a small price for sanity. If you need discovery, you can temporarily turn history back on, watch a few videos, then pause again. But for a permanent Shorts block, keep it off.
The Ethical Side: Is This Cheating?
Some argue that “gaming” the algorithm by not sharing data is unfair. I call it reclaiming agency. YouTube’s business model profits from your attention, and Shorts are engineered to steal it. Turning off history is a legitimate privacy setting that YouTube provides. You’re not hacking; you’re using the tool as designed. If the platform truly wanted you to have a Shorts‑free option, they’d offer a toggle. They don’t—because Shorts drive ad revenue. By using this workaround, you vote with your attention for a more intentional internet.
Conclusion: The Quiet Victory
You don’t need to abandon YouTube to escape Shorts. You just need to stop feeding the machine. A fresh account with no history is the only permanent, platform‑proof solution I’ve found. It’s not flashy, but it works. If you’re tired of the noise, give it a try. Create a new account today, pause history, and reclaim your feed. Your brain—and your attention span—will thank you.
FAQs
Q: Will this also remove Shorts from the mobile app?
A: Yes. When Watch History is paused, YouTube’s mobile app also disables Shorts both on the Home tab and the dedicated Shorts shelf. You’ll only see your Subscriptions feed.
Q: Do I need to use a completely new email?
A: Not necessarily. You can create a new YouTube channel under your existing Google account, but you must pause History before watching anything on that channel. However, a fresh Google account is safer to avoid cross‑contamination from your other channels.
Q: What if I accidentally watch a video before pausing history?
A: That one view may seed a few recommendations, but Shorts might still appear rarely. For the cleanest result, start over: create another new account and pause history immediately.
Q: Can I still like and comment on videos?
A: Yes. Liking, commenting, and subscribing are separate from Watch History. You can interact with content without training the algorithm.
Q: Will my saved playlists and subscriptions transfer?
A: No. A new account starts from zero. You’ll need to manually re‑subscribe and rebuild playlists. Consider it a digital declutter.
Q: Can I switch back to the old account later?
A: Absolutely. Your old account remains unaffected. Use this hack exclusively on the new account, and keep your old one for when you want the full YouTube experience (including Shorts).